It certainly looked unpromising enough, being just such a rubbish heap as may be swept up in any untidy room during a move.

But Thorndyke went through it systematically, examining each item attentively, even to the local tradesmen's bills and empty paper bags, before laying them aside.

Another rake of his stick scattered the bulky masses of crumpled paper and brought into view an object which he picked up with some eagerness.

It was a portion of a pair of spectacles, which had apparently been trodden on, for the side-bar was twisted and bent and the glass was shattered into fragments.
"This ought to give us a hint," said he.

"It will probably have belonged either to Weiss or Graves, as Mrs.Schallibaum apparently did not wear glasses.